


The Price of Indulgence

by aramisinaskirt (SilverMillennium_QueenNeptune)



Series: Musketeer March 2021 [5]
Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Episode: s02e02 An Ordinary Man, Gen, Louis XIII de France-centric, Musketeer March 2021, Prompt Fill, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:08:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29845428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverMillennium_QueenNeptune/pseuds/aramisinaskirt
Summary: Louis reflects on the events of his time as an ordinary citizen and where it led him. He determines that he'll never do it again.
Relationships: Ana de Austria | Anne d'Autriche/Louis XIII de France, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Series: Musketeer March 2021 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2190600
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	The Price of Indulgence

**Author's Note:**

  * For [privateerwrites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/privateerwrites/gifts).



> Credit for the prompt list goes to @privateerstudies on tumblr https://privateerstudies.tumblr.com/post/643477557598142464/musketeer-march

Louis’ eyes were wide and terrified. He could not believe that one night of freedom had caused such chaos. All he had wanted was to live like one of his subjects for one night. Now that he thought about it, it had not been a wise idea at all. The Musketeers had warned him of this. But of course, Louis had acted in his usually impulsive and child-like way. He had refused to listen. He was, after all, the King of France. The sheer hubris of his thought process haunted him now; how many other poor decisions had he made in recent days? Weeks? Months? His entire reign?

D’Artagnan was beside him, though it offered him little solace. They were captured, and there was no way that those who had taken him would be kind. He followed his companion’s example. Head bowed, he tried to keep himself from talking for fear that he might say something out of turn. If he did, there were many more people at risk. He bit back the urge to declare that he was their king and they should release him on that fact alone. A part of him believed it was an order that would not be defied. He was learning quickly, however, that his captors had little regard for any of the people surrounding him, but especially not for him. The only thing they wanted from him, was a literal king’s ransom.

Eventually, they were forced to sit on the ground. It was cold, hard and unforgiving. It made Louis squirm. He wanted to go home, to see his wife and relish in the comfort of his palace and the subjects who adored him. These ruffians wanted to kill him, that was certain. Most surely he would have a strong word with Treville when the matter was finished and he was home. It had proven one thing: his dear friend Richelieu might well have been right about the inefficacy of the Musketeers. He was terrified, and nothing could assuage his fears. He wanted his Anne. He wanted his mother—though Marie de Medici had been no mother to him. There was no one here who cared.

Their captors were collecting things now; belts and trinkets and other items, likely to prevent them from using them in a desperate attempt to escape. If not, then perhaps they planned to sell them once they had done whatever they planned with all of the people around him. The next thought made Louis’ heart sink: They did not care who he was, or did not know. If they had, he would have been quite the feather in their cap! He balked at the prospect of giving these men anything. What right did they have to demand that their king surrender his belt or anything else on his person to them?

“Come on! Hand it over!”, barked one of the men. A shudder coursed through his veins, accompanied by rage. He had not carried a sword, and now he wished that he’d thought twice about it.

“You dare to address me in that manner? Do you have any idea who I am?” The words turned over in Louis' brain. He bit his tongue.

“Do as they say.”, D’Artagnan’s voice was in his ear, low and urgent. Though Louis did not want to, he was compelled to obey. His hands fumbled with it, since he was unaccustomed to dressing or undressing himself. At last the belt tugged free. The only thing he could do now, was to try to stay alive.

Were things really so bad? Louis had no idea why they were doing this, and he was not likely to discover their motives before they arrived to whatever hellish place they were traveling. But if he knew only one thing, it was that he would survive this. Fate would not see him die here. When he was finally rescued and returned to the palace, he allowed himself one little indulgence; a meeting with the woman who had saved his life, and a kiss. Perhaps it was a mistake, but it comforted him to know that someone still showed him respect. Louis would never complain of being bored again.


End file.
